Checked October 19, 2026

Rebates and tax credits in Illinois

Federal tax credits ended for work done after 2025. What still helps pay for fresh air in Illinois is below, checked October 19, 2026. Programs change and money runs out, so check each one’s own page before you buy or sign.

Money toward an HRV or ERVOther states
HRV or ERV, in plain words
  • Fresh in, stale out Two fans swap stale indoor air for outdoor air all night, and can supply a closed bedroom.
  • Keeps much of the heat The two streams pass through a core, so winter air comes in warmed. An open window can’t.
  • HRV or ERV? HRV: heat recovery ventilator (heat). ERV: energy recovery ventilator (heat and some moisture).
  • Not a purifier A purifier cleans the air you have but brings none in, so CO2 stays put.

Measure first: you may not need one.HRV vs ERV guideUnits we’ve reviewed

Money toward an HRV or ERV

Programs that pay toward the unit itself. Some take the money off at the distributor, so ask whether an installer’s price already includes it.

We didn’t find a program in Illinois that names HRVs or ERVs. Your electric and gas utilities are still worth asking: search “[utility] HRV rebate” and “[utility] ERV rebate”.

Federal home energy rebates

Federal money that Illinois runs. HEAR has a category for “insulation, air sealing, and ventilation” worth up to $1,600 for households under 150% of area median income; each state decides what counts as ventilation. ENERGY STAR’s table for HEAR says this category requires ENERGY STAR certification, and ENERGY STAR’s U.S. criteria for ventilation cover fans, not HRVs or ERVs, so ask the program whether an HRV or ERV counts before relying on it. HOMES pays toward whole-home upgrades modeled to save energy.

HEAR in Illinois

Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (also called HEEHR)

Not launched yetVentilation not confirmed

Illinois EPA says its HEAR application has not yet been processed by the U.S. Department of Energy or handed to Illinois EPA to run, so HEAR rebates are not available. The page lists no rebate categories, so we cannot say whether ventilation will be included. Rebates are not retroactive: only projects the program approves after launch will be eligible.

HOMES in Illinois

Whole-home rebates, based on modeled or measured savings

Not launched yetVentilation not confirmed

Funding for the HOMES program has been awarded to Illinois EPA, and launch is pending U.S. Department of Energy approval. The state plans to start with a pilot run by two local administering agencies. At first, 100% of rebate funds are planned for households below 80% of Area Median Income, with at least 10% for low-income multifamily buildings.

Air sealing and insulation

These programs are more common than ventilation rebates, and sealing a house is often what makes it need planned fresh air. If a program is sealing yours, ask whether it requires ventilation afterward and whether it pays for it.

  • Home energy rebates: insulation and air sealing

    Nicor Gas · Active Nicor Gas residential customers

    Air sealing $500; attic insulation $400; wall insulation $150 to $350; duct sealing $600

    Nicor Gas residential customers, for installs January 1 to December 31, 2026. No ventilation rebate is listed.

    Ventilation not mentioned in what we readProgram page: 2026 program period

State tax credits

We didn’t find a Illinois tax credit for ventilation, air sealing or insulation, and couldn’t confirm there is none.

Low-income help

The federal Weatherization Assistance Program can pay for air sealing, insulation and, where needed, ventilation at no cost to households that qualify by income. In Illinois it’s run by Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Home Weatherization program.

Before you sign

  1. Don’t start work yet. Many programs need pre-approval, a participating contractor or a test first, and work begun early often can’t qualify.
  2. Write down your electric and gas utilities. Rebates usually follow the utility, not the town.
  3. Read the conditions: a listed contractor, a qualifying model, your heating fuel, income limits, and install and claim deadlines.
  4. Ask each installer whether any discount is already in their price, and who files the paperwork.
  5. Get it in writing: each rebate, who applies for it, and what happens to the price if it’s denied.

More on costs and how to check: What drives the cost of ventilation and How to compare quotes.

Worth knowing

  • Some third-party websites have described Illinois HEAR as open or paused. The Illinois EPA page says the rebates are not yet available. [s_il_epa]
  • MidAmerican Energy's 2026 Illinois residential rebate list (for its Illinois customers) covers appliances, heat pump water heaters and smart thermostats, but no insulation, air sealing or HRV/ERV. [s_midam_il]
  • In May 2026 the U.S. Department of Energy changed the rules for these federal rebates. States that had not launched must match the new rules before launching. [s_doe_pn262, s_naseo_faq]

Not tax or legal advice. We list what each program’s own pages said on the date shown, never which to choose, and we don’t know whether you qualify.

Sources